Inspired by Tidy Towns, Friends Take on a Community Clean-Up

Photo Credit: Kershlyn Gounder

A group of friends, inspired by the work of Tidy Towns, have started cleaning up rivers and parks in their own neighbourhood.

Pennington, South Africa (15 September 2025)- Sometimes change begins with simply noticing what is possible, especially in our communities. For 30-year-old Kershlyn Grounder and his friends, that moment came after seeing the incredible work of Tidy Towns in Pennington.

“Your beautiful work won my heart,” he shared on Facebook.

Also adding that he had never really thought about what his own community could look like until now.

Moved by the difference a handful of dedicated people could make, he and his friends decided it was time to act. They grabbed bags and gloves and began cleaning up rivers, neighbourhood parks, and the spaces they use every day.

What makes their story so powerful is the ripple effect of inspiration. Tidy Towns did not tell them what to do; it’s work simply lit a spark for them. And once the spark was there, the friends realised that waiting for someone else to step in was not an option. If they wanted to see cleaner and greener spaces, they needed to lead the way.

To restore pride in our communities does not always take grand gestures or formal programmes. Sometimes it’s just about a few friends and a willingness to start small.

And who knows? Their story may just inspire the next group of people to look at their own neighbourhoods differently and think about what they can do too.